Sports
Top 5 football clubs in Nigeria
Nigeria has one of the best football scenes on the continent. Over the years, some of its clubs have managed to reach iconic status, not only across the country but in the entire world! While football continues to grow as a sport, attracting more and more viewers with each year, the industry standard is also changing.
While around 50 years ago soccer betting was not a huge part of the industry, nowadays you cannot really talk about any major sporting event without mentioning the betting aspect of it. In the long run, new betting sites that offer various sports bets and especially soccer betting has helped viewers and fans feel more connected to their favorite teams and clubs. Also it makes them engage more frequently with the sport in general.
Here are the top five football clubs to look out for!
Akwa United F.C.
The first football club we will be discussing is based in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom, Nigeria. The club was founded back in 1996, by the Military Administrator of the state, Joseph Adeusi. The team competes in the first division of the Nigerian Professional Football League. The Akwa United team has some of the most admired football players across Nigeria, including the notorious fan favorites. Their home stadium is still in Akwa-Ibom and according to various sources, it also has some of the highest-paid footballers in the country.
Enugu Rangers F.C.
This team is based in Enugu, as the name suggests. They are commonly referred to as Enugu Rangers. They are historically one of the most successful Nigerian football teams, with seven appearances in the African Champions’ Cup. The club has also appeared in the CAF Champions League three times. Enugu Rangers have also been a part of the Premier League, though they have failed to get to the finals since 1984.
Enyimba International F.C.
Enyimba International is the most successful Nigerian football club, founded almost 50 years ago. The team’s name itself translates into “People’s Elephant in Igbo”. Enyimba is definitely among the top or most supported football teams across the country. The team is the nation’s favorite because of its outstanding successes. Enyimba International has won two African Champions League titles, four Federation Cups and also several Nigerian championships. It is easy to understand why the team has become the pride of Nigerian football!
Kano Pillars F.C.
This particular club is among the newest or most recent ones on the Nigerian football scene. It was only founded in 1990. Having won titles in the Nigerian Premier League four times, the team has firmly managed to establish itself as one of the leaders. They also play in the highest division of the Nigerian Professional Football League. Having said that, Kano Pillars are yet to return to the place they were in 2014. This is when they won their last Premier League championship.
Lobi Star F.C.
Lobi Star, previously known as BBLHawks adopted its current name in 1990. The team is based in Makurdi, Benu state, playing their games at the Aper Aku Stadium. The sports venue can accommodate up to 15,000 people. Yes, it has a large following, coming mostly from Makurdi. It has great potential, which is likely to grow in strength. The Lobi Star team has had a good run but only the future will tell what the team is really capable of!
England captain Harry Kane netted a hat-trick to guide Bayern Munich to an impressive victory against Stuttgart.
Kane’s goals, plus one from Kingsley Coman, helped Bayern end a three-game winless run in all competitions.
They faced a tough task against a Stuttgart side who sat back and limited their chances, leading Vincent Kompany’s side to enter the break frustrated and with the deadlock unbroken.
Bayern eventually found a way past Stuttgart’s steely defence when Kane drilled a low effort into the bottom corner from around 30 yards out after Joshua Kimmich overturned possession.
Former Nigeria goalkeeper, Dosu Joseph, is full of thanks to God after he miraculously survived another life-threatening automobile accident recent at Kara, along the Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, where a heavy-duty truck ran into his SUV.
Narrating his ordeal, the 51-year-old, who guided Nigeria to gold in the Men’s Football Tournament of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, broke the news in a statement on his social media handles on Friday.
“To God be the glory, another death escaped by Grace and Mercy of God. Me and my friend SM were at Enyo Filling Station after Ojodu Berger bus stop to get fuel on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, around 6 p.m. when this MACK truck fully loaded with iron, with registration number LND 470 XX, left the road and crushed my car beyond repairs. Thank God for life,” he stated.
This is the second time the soft-spoken club proprietor will cheat death by a whisker, having been involved in an accident in 1997 that ended his career at 23 and left his spinal cord in bad shape.
He helped Julius Berger win the Nigeria FA Cup in November 1997 shortly a memorable Olympic outing by keeping a clean sheet in the finals against Katsina United. The following year, he was involved in the auto along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, which not only cut his career short but also left him almost paralysed, ending his spell at Serie A club Reggiana.
The former Nigeria international, who also kept goal for Julius Berger FC, said the case has been reported to Isheri Police Station, Ogun State, where the driver is currently detained and the truck also seized.
According to him, the owner of the truck said he can’t fix the badly damaged SUV until after a year.
Ex – Super Eagles of Nigeria, Okwuchukwu Waobikeze has observed that sports development in Nigeria is going down.
According to him, grassroots sports is very important, without it, the administrators cannot get it right. So everybody should key into grassroots sports development, he said.
Waobikeze said this last Wednesday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after the Port Harcourt All Stars Independence football festival (OCTOBERFEST) at the Port Harcourt club, Rivers State.
He explained that for sports administrators to get it right, grassroots development is key. “They should be organising competition at the grassroots level to fish out the young ones for different sporting activities.
“Grassroots sports is very important so the administrators have to go back to the grassroots.
” Sports Development in Nigeria is going down we need to go back to the basics.
“Look at the just concluded Paris Olympics, Nigeria did not win any medal.
” Our football team did not even qualify for the Olympics. We are going down.
” If they should go back to the grassroots, they will get young ones in the games and talents will be developed.
” I started from school games, to youth games before playing for the national team. Now everybody wants to fly board to play professional football and a lot do not know the basics of the game.
” A lot of people did not know the little things about the game, they just want to play. It is not done so,” Waobikeze stated.
Kiadum Edookor